Lighting it up has been legal in Germany for a year now. Since April 1, 2024 adults can possess and smoke cannabis in public. 

People over 18 can carry only up to 25 grams of cannabis, and store 50 grams at home. They can also grow up to three plants at home.

Marijuana is not sold in shops, but can be accessed by joining so-called cannabis social clubs, where people pool resources to grow plants together.

But local authorities across Germany must approve such joint ventures, and the process to issue those permits has been slow.

In Berlin, only five out of 26 requests for cannabis social clubs have been granted so far — and it took six months for the first permit to be approved.

Critics say the new law doesn't do enough to keep kids and teens away from marijuana and that it doesn’t create enough safe, legal ways to obtain cannabis. 

The CDU/CSU, set to lead the incoming government, want to repeal the cannabis law, however consumers and researchers alike are calling for the new government to wait on clearer data before changing the law.